


They Came From Lake Chimera

by dxkes



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, F/F, Paranormal, meruem is a he/him lesbian in this fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-12
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-04-21 20:03:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14292390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dxkes/pseuds/dxkes
Summary: Camp Chimera was never a place with the best reputation. Between the noises and shadows in the woods at night to the strange habits of the staff it's not a mystery why some of the campers remain on edge for a majority of the summer. As for Komugi, showing up a month later than everyone else doesn't help this fact. Now as the days stretch on she begins to learn that the stories told by the counselors are more than just stories, and the ghostly voices on her roommate's radio reflect more than just static, and the reflections of shadows through her eyes aren't tricks of light anymore, and the voices she hears beneath the waves are of someone she doesn't plan on fearing.





	1. Welcome to Camp Chimera!

Mosquitos litter the air and sweltering heat stains the moisture around your eyes and skin, a heat that catches you separate from the sun. There’s always something so inexplicably sticky about those last fading weeks of summer, like it’s trying to meld to your back and keep you with it forever. Sometimes, you don’t actually make all the friends at camp that you’re promised you will, sometimes trees don’t block out the sunlight. There are expected, undeniable facets of summer camp, the waxing and waning of expectations and the back and forth drift of your mind to past horror movies you thought were good ideas to watch at the time.

It didn’t help that Lake Chimera didn’t have the best reputation in the first place.

The fifty first camper got awkwardly out of the bus, using her cane to tap across the ground as she held her bags close to her. After giving a brief nod in the direction of the bus driver, she carefully scaled down the steps to the outside.

Komugi was an entire month late to camp at this point, though to her it didn’t really matter. Her scholarship to attend Lake Chimera came without a waiting list, so the greatest hurdle to pass would be making new friends when everyone already knew each other. She wasn’t worried though, the sense of the unknown was invigorating in a way, as well as the opportunity to meet others in the first place.

The teenager tentatively reached out in front of her to meet the metal post of the bus stop, and quickly found the bench beside it from there. She was supposed to wait here for the counselor to pick her up and show her around, as she didn’t feel fully comfortable guiding her way along using the path alone. 

She took out some spare kleenex in her pocket and blew her nose, taking a deep breath in of the air around her. It was warm and humid, but still much better than that of the bus and subsequent station or her home city before that. It was much much quieter too; the only sounds were the rustling of the leaves on the trees and the birds that perched there. Komugi smiled towards their voices, hoping they’d come closer so she could hear them better or see their shadows as they flew near.

She couldn’t even tell that she was being watched.

At the same time Komugi sat on the bench outside of the camp’s main path, a pair of dark eyes watched her inquisitively. The creatures numerous wings rustled behind them, and their form casted reflections of themself across the branches. Numerous moths flocked around them, drawing themselves into the white light they emitted and back out again. 

They shifted back and forth, moving closer and closer to Komugi with each second that passed, until they were right behind the bench where she sat. They still only watched, but felt themselves burn brighter. Komugi lifted her arm to wipe at her brow and looked around at the new light in front of her eyes. She became increasingly aware of the heat, the presence behind her. If only she were to turn and look at them could they bring her to the lake and to the one they served without notice of anyone else. The seraph’s arm extended to put a hand on her shoulder, until they noticed from the corner of their eye a stray moth following their arm, and moving to her faster than they reached.

They quickly retracted their arm, hoping the moth would return, but gritted their teeth as the insect landed, biting down on the side of Komugi’s own arm. The girl yelled in surprise and jumped up, the seraph behind her instinctively backing themselves away from the noise, especially as they heard running coming up the path nearby and an increasing sickness spreading through their body with the closing distance. They dissolved themselves and hid away in a patch of light to observe from far away. What they noticed before they completely faded, however, was the turning of the girls body, her eyes opened wide and unseeing in shock. She didn’t follow them as they had expected, only saw the light in front of her disappear from her eyes as she rubbed the small bite on her arm.

She blinked in surprise at the short burst of pain and swelling, taking her hand away and feeling tiny crushed wings underneath it. She gasped and felt them fall to the ground, looking up again to the space in front of her. The back of her eyelids felt as if someone had shone a light through them, and that fading reflection and heat on her back was all that remained. Her head turned once more when she heard another person calling her name.

“Komugi? Is that you? Is everything okay?” The bounding footsteps came nearer and nearer until they stopped short a few feet away. “I apologize for the wait, I'm the one who's supposed to be meeting you here, I’m Counselor Melody.” The voice was soft and composed, but raised a bit in concern. “I heard you yell when I was down the pathway, is everything alright?”

“O-oh!" Komugi paused before raising her hands a bit, compulsively shaking her head. "Please don’t worry, I’m fine! I just...Felt something bite me I guess.” She frowned a bit, hoping that didn’t sound like a weak explanation. She remembered the feeling of the wings beneath her fingers and added, “It felt like a moth or something..”

“Bite you? Here, let me look.” Melody reached her hands up and carefully took Komugi’s arm, inspecting the bite. “Oh no, Calyptra bites aren’t good at all. They’re not harmful, but they’ll cause more inflammation than your normal mosquito bite.” Komugi could hear the frown in her voice.

“Well, it does hurt a little..” She replied quietly.

Melody shook her head as she gingerly let go of her hold on Komugi's arm. “I’m taking you right to the nurse to get you some anti-inflammatory. We wouldn’t want to put you through any discomfort, especially on your first day.” Komugi heard the rise of a reassuring smile in Melody’s kind voice, and it made her smile as well. Her previous fear of whatever she had seen was almost forgotten, and she nodded an agreement. Melody smiled again, and spoke once more.

“Here, the path to Camp Chimera is this way, Komugi. I’ll take you to the infirmary, and after that our Head Counselor Netero wishes to speak with you before you get settled in.” Melody informed the girl who soon followed behind her.

From a patch of light several feet away, the seraph saw Komugi walk away with Melody. They grit their teeth and cursed the missed opportunity, but shook their head. With their spare hand they gestured to the broken moth that lie on the ground, seeing the creature turn itself over again, slowly picking its head up and regaining its ability to stand as it put itself back together and finally returning to the place where it was hovering lazily before.

The seraph glared at it, but exhaled as they looked back down the path. There will be other chances, they told themselves, if only the creature that lives in Chimera Lake would allow his patience long enough for said chances..

* * *

Komugi trailed behind Melody, her arm freshly bandaged with medicine that greatly softened the past inflammation of her bite. She heard the door to the main office close behind them, and felt the hardwood floor under her feet. Melody smiled as they both continued walking through the main entrance and finally stopped at the door leading to the Head Counselor’s office. Melody swiftly knocked and her soft voice rang out once again.

“Netero! The camper from the scholarship is here!” 

“Oh very well. Send her in please, Melody.” An older voice shouted through the other side of the door. Komugi heard it open in front of her, and was quickly ushered in by Melody’s hand on her back. The voice rose once again as the Head Counselor spoke, “Ah. You must be, Komugi. Welcome to Camp Chimera, please have a seat.” 

“I’ll be back in a while to pick you up Miss Komugi! Please let me know when you’re ready for your tour.” Melody reassured kindly before shutting the door behind her. Komugi tapped the ground with her cane for a moment before finding the chair in front of Netero’s desk. She gulped before going through her mentally rehearsed script,

“H-hello sir! I want to thank you for this opportuni-”

“You don’t have to speak so formally, you know.” He interjected. Komugi shrunk back in her seat a bit. “this is just a prerequisite introduction to your time here, and then you can spend the rest of your day doing whatever you’d like. Camp activities have mostly finished for now, anyway. Now, do you have a good explanation for why you’re so late to attend this year?”

Komugi froze in her seat, shifting back and forth before stuttering out, “Well...I-I still had competitions left for my chess circuit! I didn’t want to finish early and-”

“And in that case your scholarship would have been null anyway.” The man laughed loudly, and Komugi heard his voice take a much lighter tone. “Smart girl. I guess all your time playing a game based around logic has bled into your reasoning too.” Komugi paused at his quick change of tone, and nodded quickly.

“I guess so..I would never ever want to abandon my practices either, I don't really know where I'd be without my competitions...”

“Hm, well without those practices you may not be here in the first place,” There was a rustle of paper from the desk as Netero flipped through Komugi’s file. “Well, everything seems in order for you to begin your time here. You’re very lucky, not everyone your age gets the opportunity to attend this camp. And if you hadn’t won so many of the matches you set yourself to you’d be another one of those unlucky few.”

Komugi nodded, “Yes sir, I don’t think I would’ve been able to afford it, anyway.” She embarrassedly scratched at the back of her neck. “I’m very grateful, if I might add.” 

“I’m glad, Camp Chimera is a very prestigious summer camp after all.” She heard him page through her file a bit more, before setting it back down on his desk. “Well, it looks like everything should be in order, Miss Komugi, you should be just about ready to…” He paused for a beat as his eyes went to her bandage. “What happened to your arm..Did you hurt yourself already, Komugi?”

She paused, a bit taken aback at his swift change of tone, she shook her head and embarrassedly waved her hands a bit in front of her as she was reminded of her past bite, “Uh, only on accident! Melody said it was some kind of moth..but she also said it should be fine other than hurting for a little while!”

“Moths…” Netero mused to himself. “Interesting..Tell me, Komugi, where were you when you were bitten? Were you near the camp?”

“I was at the bus stop.” She said nervously, feeling the change in the air, “why?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. No need to worry, you can’t expect a summer camp to be free of pests after all. The Calyptra moths have been a problem here for a long, long time..” He paused for a beat. His voice seemed to hide something behind the seemingly innocuous statement, and he leaned back before speaking again. “Komugi, do you know why this place is called Chimera Lake?”

Komugi paused once more, but then shook her head. Netero took a deep breath and spoke again, his words carrying a strange air.

“A chimera is an awful mythological beast, an amalgamation of several animals combined into one. A monster that fears no man or creature other than itself.” He mused, “In the old days, humans had no defense against them. They were the incarnations of our fears, our anxieties about the outside world. We stayed in caves and hid away our lives to prevent being taken away. Prayed to spirits that were apathetic to us, made tools that couldn’t even pierce the skin of those we feared so much. We lived with the knowledge that those who fell away from us could always rise against us. Taking our souls and our family..and our blood.”

Komugi’s hand instinctively ran over her bandages, remembering the light she saw in the forest once more. She felt herself reduced smaller and smaller in her seat as Netero continued to speak.

“But humans are more tenacious than any beast in the end..even if their means must be met through compromise. And that, Komugi, is why this place is called Chimera Lake.” Komugi heard the smile slightly trickle back into his voice. “We campers are representative of the work humans are willing to go through to protect the livelihood of many. While you’re here and you follow our rules, there is no need to fear the beasts that wander the darkness..Do you understand, Komugi?”

The girl paused, and then nodded. Unsurely adding, “Yes, I think I get it, Counselor Netero...if you don’t mind me asking, why are you telling me all this?”

He laughed a bit, “I’m telling you so we understand each other completely...so many campers in my time here have chased after things that should be left alone, and have become gravely hurt in the process. The very last thing I would want is for that to happen to someone who doesn’t know better, especially one so eager to seek out acceptance and friends here” Netero’s voice carried one last time, his tone grave but chiding. “Just know, Mugi, not every friend is a safe one. Don’t go chasing after the very monsters that wish to hurt you.”

Komugi gulped, she felt very small in her chair, made unable to speak through the thick tension of his own words. She could only nod and hope that was enough.

“Very good! Than that means we DO understand each other.” Komugi’s ears perked up as she heard Netero hit a button on the wall and speak into its receiver. “Melody, I believe our new camper is ready to get settled in, you can give her the tour tomorrow. I think today has been active enough for her.” A familiar voice crackled an agreement, and Netero released the button once again. “You can let yourself out, Melody should be meeting you in the main office momentarily.”

Komugi felt herself getting up, not really sure what to say after all of this. But she waved before turning away, giving a barely audible “Thank you Counselor Netero.” before making her way to the door. As she was about to exit through the door, though, she heard his laugh ring out once more.

“Take care of yourself, Komugi, and stay away from anything that seems strange, in the woods or otherwise.”

It was a sage bit of advice for a summer camp, but for some reason it filled Komugi with a sense of warning, there was something almost too genuine in his voice, and she was reminded again of the presence she had sensed earlier. But before she knew it, she was back in the main office.

“Hello Miss Komugi! I hope your meeting went well! Is everything alright?” Melody’s soft voice rang through again as the front door swung open, and Komugi snapped out of it for a second.

“O-oh! I guess I’m fine...I’m just really tired I guess..” It wasn’t a good lie, but Melody nodded after a short pause.

“I definitely see how you would be. Here, I’ll lead you to your cabin and you can rest up as much as you need to. We’ve already delivered your bags and everything.” The reassurance in her voice made Komugi smile again, and they both began to walk to the outside path. Komugi took a deep breath of the outside air, hearing the birds in the trees once again. She turned Netero’s last warning over and over in her head, seeing the reflections and shadows of the trees far past her eyes.

* * *

There was a new energy running through the lake as Komugi walked down the path to find her cabin in the Camp's main circle. It was a feeling of change in the air and light that reflected through the water, like the jolting awake of someone dreaming of falling before eventually settling back into rest. The light didn't go away though, it only shone through, even to the inmost depths of the water. Dark eyes opened and looked up to the new filter of light through the waves, as the monster of Chimera Lake awoke again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus ends chapter one!!! I hope you all liked it so far, and I hope to update soon :) Next chapter we'll be meeting Komugi's new cabinmate so stay tuned...


	2. Radio

Komugi waved goodbye to Melody as she stood in front of the last cabin down the row, hearing the footsteps of the short woman growing farther away. She clutched at the pager in her hand, something Melody had given to her in case she needed anything or help settling in, eventually raising her hand to drop it in her pocket. She turned towards the door of her cabin and momentarily wracked her brain as to if Melody had mentioned her having roommates or not. She tentatively raised her hand to the doorknob and turned the handle as she let herself in, immediately feeling a cool breeze hit her face with the opening of the door.

She listened closely for a moment, but found that there was nothing to hear. In fact, there was a silence to the room that was almost eerie, a lack of noise that contrasted so palpably to the outside noises of birds and animals. 

“Hello? Is anyone there?” Komugi let her voice ring out through the lack of noise, letting the light filter through her eyes through the outlines of the furniture of the room. It looked similar to what she had expected, with two (notably empty) bunkbeds, and two matching rows of what looked like cabinets. The room was otherwise barren.

Komugi stood for a moment more and then finally stepped forward. She crossed the room and tentatively placed her suitcase near the cabinet, sitting down on the lower bunk on one of the beds and exhaling into the quiet room, letting that noise seem to cut through the silence like a knife. It was possible that whatever roommates she had were out enjoying the camp activities for now, she mentally told herself to not be dissuaded by her first day, even with all of the weird things going on...but at the same time, and speaking of which-

Her eyes widened a bit as an only recently familiar feeling began to pool in her stomach, feeling the familiar piercing of eyes on her once again. Maybe it was the silence of the room, maybe it was the warmth she could still recall so close to her shoulder, the bite that still stung slightly from the moth she could remember falling from her hand. She heard the slightest noise behind her as she gripped her cane close to herself.

There was someone behind her getting closer and closer, their footfalls remarkably soft and mechanical on the ground, catlike and dollike. Komugi was struck again with the paralyzing feeling she had felt with the presence before, except now it held onto her almost deliberately, like a presence keeping her there that was not entirely her own. The person behind her approached with wide eyes and extended, jointed claws, eyes curious but determined.

Until the radio tied to their side began to blast loudly, knocking them back and pulling Komugi from her trance.

“AHHH!” Komugi impulsively swung her cane behind her as she jumped, hearing a loud ‘thunk’ as it hit something hard and hollow-sounding. Her eyes widened as she heard a hiss and the sound of the other person jumping backwards in turn, she quickly stammered out an apology as she had her wits return to her, still holding tightly to her cane and letting the form of her apparent roommate shadow over her vision, still seeming dazed or at least put off by the recent development. Komugi quickly stuttered out, “O-OH NO! Did I almost hit you? I’m so sorry, I didn’t know anyone else was in here! Are you okay?” 

The other person paused for a moment as Komugi closed in on herself a bit, they watched her reaction with eyes permanently widened by plasticine lenses, many thoughts going through their mind, but also surprise that she was the one apologizing when it was them who had (very nearly) managed to sneak up on her. Their head reeled as they looked to the radio at their side, still blaring loud, staticy music in a way that echoed almost vocally, warningly in response to their previous plan. Something so innate to them that as they hadn’t even thought about it, especially with the coming new moon and the demands of the one they needed to provide for...

They took a second to gain their bearings, realizing the girl in front of them was still apologizing, even moreso, she hadn’t commented on their appearance at all. They cocked their eyebrows and looked back down at their radio, beginning to shake their head and feeling no pain where the cane had struck just a moment before. They decided they needed to test the waters here, whoever this girl was, the spirits had made a point that she was not meant to be shown the same treatment as those before her, and their radio was usually right... Neferpitou blinked as the girl paused, looking downwards at her feet, they hadn’t noticed that she had run out of things to say in the first place. Pitou thought for a second, before automatically saying the first thing that came to mind.

“Mew’re really sweet, aren’t you?” Their head cocked to the side as their tinny voice rang out, hoping this was the right thing to say in the first place. This caused Komugi to raise her head again, taken aback for a moment.

“W-What?”

Pitou paused, and then smiled mechanically, feeling they had gotten their bearings once more, trying to examine what could’ve caused the strange response of her radio to this kind but normal-seeming girl, and continued talking. “Mew don’t have to apologize to me, silly, I was the one who scared you in the first place.” They laughed a bit, but then tentatively extended their hand out. Komugi could only barely see their hand rising through the shadows in her eyes, but felt the almost subconscious, automatic upward movement of her own to meet theirs. Not only that, but she could almost feel the intense gaze of their eyes as their calloused hand squeezed hers in a handshake. 

“So, A-are you my cabinmate here?” Komugi asked inquisitively. Pitou paused, but decided to go along with what the girl was asking, nodding their head a bit.

“Well, it sure seems like it!” They smiled widely and allowed both of their hands to drop back down. They stepped back a bit, adjusting a strap at their side from which their small portable radio hung. Komugi heard the staticy tones that had been present since their meeting just moments ago ring out and stabilize to music, seemingly breathing a new energy into the room. Something both calmingly normal and artificial. “My name is Neferpitou, or just Pitou. What’s yours?” Their voice had a similar nature to the radio. It was tinny and high pitched, having a quality that was almost mechanical in a way Komugi couldn’t place. She shook her head though and tried to smile, releasing her cane a bit from her clenched fist.

“I-it’s Komugi, it’s very nice to meet you, Pitou.” The aura around her new cabinmate was strange to say the least, but Komugi felt an ease around them as well, though she was still nervous in wanting to make a good impression. 

“Komugi, that’s very nice.” There was a definite smile to their mechanical voice. “I take it you can’t see me, than?” Their voice was raised curiously, current plans changing in their mind as they looked up at the girl, gauging her every reaction.

“Oh! Uh, not really...I’m blind, which is probably why I didn’t notice you in the first place.” Komugi angled her head down a bit. “I can only really see shadows when there’s light behind them.”

“That’s probably not why you couldn’t see me.” They laughed a bit. “I’ve been sneaking up on people since my first year here...I guess I’m just not used to others having the same reaction mew did.” They shrugged and giggled a bit, moving to sit on the nearest bunk, their movements jaunty and almost dollike in Komugi’s vision. “Plus I was hiding under the bed.”

This made Komugi laugh a bit, feeling herself calm down even more at their joking personality. “What about my reaction so different?”

The paused for a moment. “Well...I’ve said it before, you’re sweet.” The smile still rang through their voice as they reached down to adjust the frequency of the radio at their side, glad she didn’t ask any further questions about how their appearance would have affected her had she been able to see them clearly. Their jointed arms returned to their sides. “How long have you been here, Mugi?”

“Oh, I just got here today! Melody dropped me off just a little while ago…” Pitou saw her tense up the tiniest bit. “Neither her nor Counselor Netero told me to expect cabinmates, though, I kind of half-expected to get put alone here..”

Pitou widened their eyes at the mention of Netero, their expression unchanging as always, but the mood behind their eyes shifting as they spoke again, “Oh, you’ve already spoken to Netero, than?” 

“Yeah...I mean I guess I have.” Komugi seemed a bit more tense still, seeming as though she was lost in thought for a moment, Neferpitou paused before standing again, letting their own voice take on a joking quality.

“He’s really creepy, isn’t he?” This made Komugi pause as her mouth gaped a bit, before nodding.

“H-he kind of is, yeah…” Komugi’s voice was quiet, like someone who very rarely talked about others in a negative light, she spoke up again, though.

Pitou took this as a warning, they couldn’t very well make her tell them what Netero had told her, and couldn’t even begin to discern whatever he meant by what he did, and with the new moon almost arriving it wasn’t the time to take unnecessary risks, they looked to their radio, was this what their Kite was made to warn them for?...They looked up at the girl, noticing the familiar way she moved, the expressions she used, she couldn’t be much younger than they themselves were. There was an unsuredness too, whatever Netero Had said, it hadn’t been good. Pitou felt a pang in their stomach, even with their dissimilarities, Komugi reminded them of someone important to them, and in spite of themselves they felt that in the time she was here she deserved at least one good day. Especially if they needed to decipher more about her anyway before deciding how to go about heeding their radio’s warning. their head moving jauntily, and smiled into their voice.

“Come on, we’re going to go somewhere, Komugi. It’s not fair for you to be scared out of your wits by that bastard on the first day.” They stood and tentatively placed a hand on Komugi’s shoulder, lessening the aura around them to make their movements seem almost fluid to the shadows of her eyes.

“R-really? Where can we go?” Komugi looked up, unable to deny that she was excited by the new prospect of getting to explore the camp. Pitou shrugged and smiled again.

“Oh, probably just the beach, here, I’ll show you.” Their hand guided the girl to the door of the cabin, letting it open to the outside world, and they mentally thanked the fact that there didn’t seem to be any other campers in the main square at the moment. They thought back to their radio and had the innate reflex to look at the girl to their side, eyes widening as her expression softly changed to much calmer at the familiar sound of birds and far-off crash of waves against the beach. 

“It really is nice here..” she said almost subconsciously. Pitou paused for a second, and smiled.

“It sort of is..I think you’re actually going to like it here, Komugi.” They didn’t know if this was a lie yet, but they led Komugi down the steps of the cabin, disguising the telltale “clunk” of their feet on the steps and the way that their legs moved like a toy soldier, and both of them walked towards the sounds of crashing waves.

* * *

Neither of the two willfully noticed the few moths drifting lazily about in the nearby patch of light, almost as imperceptible as the shifting of the ground underneath like a mirage. The monster of Chimera Lake’s two remaining heralds watched as their oldest sibling seemingly led their sacrifice towards a new plan altogether, and all they could do was follow closely behind, almost feeling from a half-mile away the toss and turn of their charge at the bottom of the lake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Argh!! Sorry for the delay in updates! I will try to get much better with that, next up: Komugi and Neferpitou spend time at the beach, Pitou’s two remaining siblings speculate on what they’re planning, and the new moon is almost upon us.


End file.
